Queensland political editor

The government has called in the big guns to help sell both its asset sales agenda and bad financial news ahead of the next election.

In a pre-emptive strike, Under Treasurer Mark Gray, who was appointed to the role just two months ago, has alerted Queensland Treasury staff, through an employee-wide email, that he plans to address the department's "strategic communications" issues, by hiring outside consultants.

This includes how Treasury "present[s] complex information to the Treasurer and his staff, and then support[s] the Treasurer as he leads discussion[s] with his Cabinet and various Committee colleagues" and how "consistent and planned messages" can be presented to the wider community.

In the email, which was obtained by Fairfax Media, Mr Gray said he has appointed two "experienced people" from Phillips Group, which describes itself as a "world class, dynamic communiation company...that works with organisations to address their critical challenges to achieve success" to "embed" with the department for six months.

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A further two Phillips Group consultants will provide support.

"Our Communications team in Corporate Services is a great group and works flat out delivering a high standard service to the department, but I know that staff are stretched and have heavy demands on their time meeting internal needs," Mr Gray wrote to staff.

"I have therefore decided to supplement the capacity of the team by establishing a small strategic communications capacity to work directly with myself, the DUTs, the Treasurer and his Office in preparing simple and effective messages around complex policy and financial issues, and presenting consistent and planned messages to the broader community.

"Without in any way diminishing the importance of technical excellence in our content, I believe that our messages can be more effective if they are presented in more user-friendly and powerful ways, both to the Government and also to the community generally."

The Phillips Group consultants will work with the in-house Treasury communications team from the 9th floor of the Executive Building "and will be dealing heavily with executives and key staff in Queensland Treasury and Trade who are preparing briefings and submissions for the government".

One of those consultants lists experience with "projects of a sensitive and controversial nature...and negotiating mutall agreeable outcomes between different stakeholder groups" among her professional strengths, while another specialises in "issues and crisis management".

"They will also work with the Comms team to develop an updated communications strategy for the department going forward," the email states.

It is the strongest indicator yet the government is preparing its election arsenal. The premier and his ministers have repeatedly vowed not to sell assets without first obtaining a mandate, but with the government itself divided on the issue, it has a long campaign ahead of it.

The appointment of Phillips Group, which is already helping to prepare firms for "contestibility" opportunities with Queensland Health, has also raised eyebrows.

"They are more than PR, it is a lot more strategic than that," one source close to the government said.

"You go to somewhere like Phillips Group when you are serious about the message you need sold. Or are mopping up."

The opposition's Tim Mulherin said while previous governments, his included, hired outside communicaton consultants, "it was usually for specific projects such as share floats".

"But this sounds to me like an expensive, publicly funded 'war room' that will be focussed on spinning the government's message in favour of asset sales in the lead-up to an election," he said.

"Treasurer Nicholls needs to explain why this stand-alone unit is needed and more importantly — if it is part of the government's pitch on asset sales — how much taxpayers will be out of pocket for work that should be billed to the LNP."

A spokeswoman for the Treasurer declined to put a price, instead directing Fairfax Media to its annual report.

When the Bligh government hired outside consultants to help sell the Queensland Rail float in 2009/10, it spent $1,135,906.

Phillips Group is understood to operate on up to a $20,000 monthly retainer. Consultants can charge up to $280 an hour.

The spokeswoman said hiring external consultants was "a long standing practice", but would not go into detail about what particular messages they would be pushing.

"It's typically undertaken to manage periods of high work volume when existing departmental office teams do not have the capacity or specialist skill needed to deliver a particular outcome within tight timeframes.

"The public service plays no role in political campaigns."

48 comments so far

If they have to bring in these 'professionals', then they know the asset sales is very unpopular, but full steam ahead anyway. Or have they done private polling and are going to lose more seats they we know about?It seems to be a foregone conclusion Newman will be gone. Even after this year long PR for the LNP.

Commenter

wdawes

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 6:00AM

@ wdawes

In politics, never say never! Meaning, don't write off Newman because he and his colleagues are 'on the nose'. That said, like you, I think Newman is leading a party hell-bent on making foolish ideological decisions.

Another way of looking at the hiring of professional spin gangsters is that the Under Treasurer Mark Gray has realised in just 2 months since his appointment that the capacity of the Treasurer to sell ideologically driven and unnecessary decisions is wanting.

The underlying message here is that by appointing Gray, and now these professional spin gangsters, the Newman administration realises that it wants power more than it does respect for/from Queenslanders.

If Newman & Co can't use ordinary language and speak to Queenslanders honestly, then he must think Queenslanders think of him as a buffoon.

Cheers

Commenter

Dalliance

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 8:24AM

@wdawes.watchout, I believe you, Jeff H, So who do you think will do a better job Labor? the laughing stock who put this State in a diabolical mess? Clive Palmer? the Buffoon who changes his mind in an instant and makes ludicrous comments without an ounce of proof? The Greens? Oh there is a hilarious band of misfits.No Government is perfect and will never be however we have to chose the best there is on offer.

Commenter

Observer

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 12:24PM

Love the last line - "The public service plays no role in political campaigns."That is hilarious!!!

They have politicised and destroyed the structure of the public service and they have publicly attacked the public service on every possibility. This campaign is all just to sell a message.I have a message for the LNP - grow the pie not kill the goose. If you hadn't destroyed so many jobs and businesses when you came to power then you would have had more options. Confidence is still down and real jobs are hard to come by. Don't sell assets as when they are gone they will not come back. If it is already making a profit, why sell it. Makes no sense.

Commenter

CrustyPete

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 6:41AM

Spin Spin Spin god Newman is a hypocrite

Commenter

chass

Location

forest lake

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 9:57AM

It is good to see the use of PR firms. We need spin to counter the many negatives following asset sales/privatisation. When public assets are sold, there is a one off boost to government revenue. Once sold, these former public assets will be lost from public ownership, forever. The voters do not want to hear about rising unemployment or the negatives from asset sales. We need spin to counter substance, but will the voters in Queensland be able to differentiate between the two?

Commenter

Barry of Nambucca

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 6:42AM

Firstly what part of Queensland is Nambucca? Secondly this is nothing but taxpayer funded propaganda for the LNP government, the LNP should be made to pay for it. It is up to the people to decide free from spin and propaganda. As they are calling for a mandate on the sales, engaging spin doctors is diminishing the choice of the people.

Commenter

cycloniq

Date and time

January 13, 2014, 3:20PM

You have got me there, as Nambucca is in NSW. I lived and worked on the Gold Coast in the early 1970's, and can remember the goings on around hotels. At the time the minimum age for drinking alcohol was 21, yet there were many young girls from 14 upwards who frequented the local pubs, and were not challenged about being obviously under age.I have a son who lives in Queensland, and I do like to visit him as often as I can. I have spent at least 2 weeks per year in Queensland for the last 25 years. I may live in NSW, but I was initially amazed when Campbell Newman was elected Opposition leader, despite not having a seat in Parliament. Having a single House of Parliament, when one side has a huge majority, is not good for democracy in Queensland or anywhere. Conservative governments seem to trample over the rights of some citizens, while setting up something/someone to fear. The bikies and Unions are the bad guys at the moment. If Queenslanders vote for privatisation, they are ignoring the likely more expensive services that will follow. Why should assets acquired over decades be sold off to mates? Unless there is a well funded, organised anti privatisation campaign, Queensland assets will be transferred to private ownership. It should not be a hard job to just tell the truth about privatisation.